August 27, 2023 • 19 mins
If using electronic media causes you to have any of the following experiences, it’s a sign that you may need to disconnect.
· Depressed mood.
· Increased irritability, frustration, or anger.
· Feeling insecure.
· Loss of sleep or interrupted sleep.
· Feeling obligated to consume, respond, react, or check in.
If that sounds like you, then listen to this show.
For a full transcript of this episode please go to the official website https://www.filmproproductivity.com/
Show links:
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: https://www.filmproproductivity.com/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/FilmProProdPod
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/filmproproductivity
CONTACT: https://www.filmproproductivity.com/contact
INDIE FILM HUSTLE: https://indiefilmhustle.com/ifh-podcast-network-filmmaking-and-screenwriting/
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqo0Zld2Lm2lJDpDh3GsuZg
QUOTES:
Things changed when my phone outsmarted me. Once Facebook had a permanent place in my pocket, it became a permanent portal—able to transport me away from my family. Even if we were physically in the same room, I wasn’t necessarily there with them. Facebook was no longer simply a naptime vacation but an all-day form of escapism. Wendy Speake
A red flag is if you’re losing interest in being social in person because you’d rather just connect with people online. Kai-Rai Prewitt
Stop letting people who do so little for you control so much of your mind, feelings, and emotions. Will Smith
THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY PETRA KOLB
Thanks:
A Himitsu
Music By: Music by A Himitsu
Track: Adventures by A Himitsu https://www.soundcloud.com/a-himitsu
Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
Music released by Argofox https://www.youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE
Music provided by Audio Library https://www.youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8
Contact the artist: x.jonaz@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/ahimitsuhttps://www.twitter.com/ahimitsu1
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgFwu-j5-xNJml2FtTrrB3A
· Depressed mood.
· Increased irritability, frustration, or anger.
· Feeling insecure.
· Loss of sleep or interrupted sleep.
· Feeling obligated to consume, respond, react, or check in.
If that sounds like you, then listen to this show.
For a full transcript of this episode please go to the official website https://www.filmproproductivity.com/
Show links:
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: https://www.filmproproductivity.com/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/FilmProProdPod
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/filmproproductivity
CONTACT: https://www.filmproproductivity.com/contact
INDIE FILM HUSTLE: https://indiefilmhustle.com/ifh-podcast-network-filmmaking-and-screenwriting/
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqo0Zld2Lm2lJDpDh3GsuZg
QUOTES:
Things changed when my phone outsmarted me. Once Facebook had a permanent place in my pocket, it became a permanent portal—able to transport me away from my family. Even if we were physically in the same room, I wasn’t necessarily there with them. Facebook was no longer simply a naptime vacation but an all-day form of escapism. Wendy Speake
A red flag is if you’re losing interest in being social in person because you’d rather just connect with people online. Kai-Rai Prewitt
Stop letting people who do so little for you control so much of your mind, feelings, and emotions. Will Smith
THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY PETRA KOLB
Thanks:
A Himitsu
Music By: Music by A Himitsu
Track: Adventures by A Himitsu https://www.soundcloud.com/a-himitsu
Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
Music released by Argofox https://www.youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE
Music provided by Audio Library https://www.youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8
Contact the artist: x.jonaz@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/ahimitsuhttps://www.twitter.com/ahimitsu1
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgFwu-j5-xNJml2FtTrrB3A
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
This episode is sponsored by my goodfriend Petrical. Hello and welcome back to
Film Pro, Productivity and Success,the podcast that helps film pros and all
creative people to live a more focused, effective and happy life. My name
(00:21):
is Carter Ferguson. In today's episodeis one four seven. It's Digital detox.
Things changed when my phone outsmarted me. Once Facebook had a permanent place
in my pocket, it became apermanent portal able to transport me away from
(00:42):
my family, even if we werephysically in the same room, I wasn't
necessarily there with them. Facebook wasno longer simply a naptime vacation, but
an all day form of escapism.When they speak unquote, and that's from
her book or to day Social MediaFast Exchange your online distractions for real life
(01:03):
devotion. It's a book worth lookingat. If you're interested in today's topic,
I kind of show you in thisepisode the stute amongst you. I'd
like to point out we'll already havenoticed. It's very much connected to last
week's show, where I looked intocal Newport's theory of deep work. That's
achieving a state of flow where youget your best work done. In this
(01:23):
week, I'm going to try andconvince you to cut back on social media.
I've tried it before, and I'mgonna try it again. I'm gonna
try and get you to cut backon Facebook and the use of technology so
that you can find again the focusthat you need for success. Digital detoxies
have gained significance in today's fast paced, technology driven world. But what are
(01:44):
they all about? That's the question. I've talked about it here, as
I say often, I've talked aboutmy addiction to YouTube, for example,
and I finally picked out one whereI simply removed the app from my phone.
I also removed Facebook. You see, I'd often feel like before I
even gotten up for the day.I think I've used this analogy before,
it's not really an analogy. Sotruth this is, this is my life
(02:05):
before it even got up for theday, that I'd been on those apps
looking at short videos and stuff.And the end result was it often felt
like I'd already done a shift inwatching video after video for that dopamine kick
before it even got out of mybed. But here's the thing, though,
my devious mind, even when Iget rid of YouTube and all these
other distractions, my devious minds soondiscovered that Instagram has the same video option,
(02:30):
and I continue to waste my timethere, even though I'd killed a
few other distractions. So you reallyhave to be careful that you aren't deluding
yourself as to what's going on.I did eventually also remove Instagram as well,
but I'm back on it all now, unfortunately, because I'm promoting this
show. Although absolutely as soon asI've got this season recorded, and as
(02:52):
soon as I've got a few buffersdone, which are like social media automated
message send outs, I will becoming back off social media again. Anyway,
I'm going off on one the quotethat I used a few weeks ago
comes to mind. We all this, and it's whatever you are not changing,
you are choosing. Whatever you arenot changing, you are choosing.
I don't choose to waste as muchof my life on social media as I
(03:15):
have been doing. It bothers me, it annoys me, it depresses me.
And one study discovered that Americans spendingaverage of four hours watching TV and
about seven and a half hours ondigital devices each day, and unsurprisingly,
so much screen time is stressing manyof us out. And I'm really sorry.
(03:35):
Instantly I always seem to be usingAmericans studies in America for examples of
what's going on. It's just thatthere's an awful lot of studies getting done
in the States, and that's wherea lot of information that my research is
taking me. So it's not thatI've got a thing. I'm not particularly
picking on you if you're from theStates. This just happens to be where
a lot of studies have happened.If using electronic media causes you to have
(03:59):
any of the following experiences, it'sa clear sign that you may have to
disconnect. And it would be adepressed mood. It would be increased irritability,
frustration, and anger. It woulddefinitely be feeling insecure. It would
possibly be leading to loss of sleepor certainly interrupted sleep, and feeling obligated
to consume, respond, react,or check in with others. And if
(04:23):
that sounds like you, then keepon listening. Please keep on listening.
A red flag is if you're losinginterest in being social in person because you'd
rather just connect with people online.Kai right put unquote, I'm so sorry
if I've got that pronunciational. It'sso hard to stay on top of pronunciations
but yeah, I'll just say itagain. A red flag is if you're
(04:45):
losing interest in being social in personbecause you'd rather be connecting with people on
line. So let's quickly talk aboutdopamine. What the heck is all that
about? Well, In short,dopamine is a chemical. In short,
quite long after research with the stuff, dopamine is a chemical neurotransmitter released in
(05:05):
the brain that makes you feel good. That's what dopamine is, and dopamine
plays a role in how we feelpleasure. It's a big part of our
unique human ability to think and plan. It helps us to strive to focus
and find things interesting, and yourbody spreads it along four major pathways in
(05:25):
the brain like most other systems inthe body, though you don't notice it
or maybe even know about it untilthere's a problem. Too much or too
little of it can lead to avast range of health issues. Some are
serious, like Parkinson's disease, andothers are much less dire. The connection
between dopamine and digital devices and socialmedia lies in the way these platforms trigger
(05:49):
the release of dopamine, and itworks like this. The use of digital
devices and social media triggers anticipation andreward. We anticipate notifications, likes,
comments, and new content, andthe reward comes in the form of a
dopamine release when we receive them.When you receive a notification that are a
(06:13):
positive interaction on social media, dopamineis released into your brain. This release
of dopamine creates a pleasant, pleasant, and pleasurable sensation in there, and
it reinforces the behavior and motivates youto seek it again. There's a feedback
loop there that encourages and increases addictivebehavior. The anticipation in reward cycle it's
(06:35):
called fueled by dopamine, can createa feedback loop that leads to addictive behaviors.
We become conditioned to seek out andengage with digital devices or social media
platforms in the pursuit of that pleasurabledopamine release, and this can result in
excessive use, compulsive checking, anddifficulty disengaging from these digital expencies. That's
(07:00):
the habit we pick up all tooquickly, like a drug addiction to dopamine.
Are you getting all this, folks? Are you understanding why I'm going
on yet again about this sort ofstuff. All of this is a distraction.
All of this stops you focusing onthe stuff that matters. I'm old
enough to remember a time before allof it. I remember going to the
(07:21):
bank when I was young and startinga bank account, and I distinctly remember
waiting in line and not taking outa phone to kill any time. I
just sat there and waited to getto the front of the queue. I
looked around, I thought about things. That's how it worked. That's all
I did. And do you rememberthat time? The time, I mean,
(07:42):
some of you will be that young. You probably have lived with this
your whole life, and you'll haveto find new ways to deal with it.
But there was a time for thoseof us are a little bit older
where we didn't have to worry aboutthis. Unfortunately, in today's world,
we're all caught up in it,and it is an issue. As I
say, understand the connection between dopamineand digital devices and social media, however,
(08:03):
can help us to be more awareof our behaviors and in turn,
we can make conscious decisions about theirusage, ensuring that we have a healthier
relationship with the sorts of technology thatwe use. And that brings me back
to the topic of today's show.A digital detox is an escape from all
(08:24):
of this an opportunity to reclaim asense of balance, reduce stress, and
think about your mental well being.It involves disconnecting from the screens that you've
got from social media and digital communicationfor a set period of time, because
by taking a break from our devices, we can invest more time and attention
in building meaningful relationships with friends,with family, and the world round about
(08:48):
us. And the reason that I'mbringing all this up, of course,
is that, above all else andtime management terms, continuous engagement with digital
technology can be a sure fire,dead set killer of productivity. If you
don't recognize that, I'm very pleasedfor you, as it's one of the
greatest problems we face in the modernworld. If you don't have that problem,
(09:11):
fantastic, don't allow yourself to getdrawn into it. And the things
that people avoid doing during a digitaldetox would include things like checking email,
playing video games, scrolling through socialmedia, text messaging, using smartphones or
tablets in any way, shape orform, or watching the news or other
(09:33):
TV programs. Taking a break fromviewing or engaging in social media is the
most popular form of digital detox.Negative social media experiences can trigger anxiety and
depression. And affect your self esteem. I've already done a show on this
topic is called Less Scrolling, MoreLiving. But here are five clear benefits
for your right here and now thatI've found from regular social media detoxes that
(09:58):
I have taken. I think Iwas online for seven months of last year,
but the other five months I wasin a digital detox. It's not
that I wasn't using email, etc. It's just that I greatly reduced the
usage of specifically social media. Sohere's some benefits. Number one, increased
focus and productivity. Digital distractions suchas notifications, emails, social media can
(10:20):
fragment your attention and hinder your abilityto focus deeply on important tasks. That's
the whole thing that I was goingon about last week in deep work.
But by disconnecting from digital devices,we can cultivate better concentration, we can
enhance our productivity, productivity, andwe can accomplish basically more meaningful work.
Do better work, do work thatmatters. Number two, improved mental and
(10:46):
emotional well being. Continuous exposure tothe digital devices, to social media,
and constant connectivity to other things canlead to information overload. I've got a
real issue with it. In today'sworld. I'm so aware of it.
It leads to increased stress levels anddecreased mental well being. So taking a
break from technology allows you to recharge, to reduce anxiety and to regain a
(11:11):
sense of calm. Number three,I have enhanced real life connections and relationships,
So excessive screen time on digital devicescan lead to a decline in real
life interactions and connections with humans.Other humans remember them, They're out there
somewhere. A digital detox will encourageyou to engage in face to face conversations,
(11:33):
spend quality time with loved ones,and participate in activities that foster genuine
human connections. I'm aware of this. At the moment, I've been doing
an awful lot of screen time prepadmin work to do with the film,
to do with my other business,things to do with doing this episode.
And tomorrow I'm going to make timeafter I've been to the German for a
(11:54):
swim to see my friend Ross Gary, mydope from faster Manson. We're going
to have a coffee tomorrow more.Although I'm not on the coffee, it
will be a fruit tea for me. But I do try and fit these
things in. I've got a veryvery tight schedule, but I really do
try and put time into meeting peopleface to face is a big, big
help for the old mental health,et cetera, and number four in my
(12:16):
list of clear benefits without getting distracted. That's what I'm talking about here,
is that reduced anxiety and stress levels. By taking a break, we have
got an opportunity to disconnect from thevirtual world and focus on our own thoughts,
engaging mindful activities, and gain clarityabout our values and our priorities.
(12:37):
All of this really has a positiveimpact on our anxiety and on our stress
and finally reclaiming valuable time for otheractivities and self care. Constant digital involvement
engagement, if you want to callit, that leaves little room for self
reflection and introspection. So cutting offthese of itties opens up the opportunity for
(13:01):
you to rediscover old hobbies and otherfun stuff. Old hobbies. What did
you used to do that you're nolonger doing? Why do you no longer
do it? Is it because youspend seven and a half hours day looking
at your phone or your iPad oryour switch or whatever. Is it because
you're sitting watching the box on theon the wall, or sitting in the
(13:22):
living room for four or five sixhours a day. Could you stop doing
that? Go for a walk?Could you stop doing that? Go And
I don't know, I used tobuild model airplanes. I could build a
model airplane. I could do that. That's not top of my list of
priorities to do, but you knowthere are things I used to do that
would quite like to try doing again. So think about what you used to
(13:43):
do and go and do it.Make some time for it. But you
can really only do that if youstart cutting back in the amount of time
you're putting into staying at screens.So to sum up, digital detoxes help
us reassess or dependence on technology andset healthier boundaries. They allow us to
be become more mindful of our digitalhabits as well, set limitations on our
(14:03):
screen time, and develop a morebalanced approach to using technology. They serve
as a means of balance, kindof counter balance to the overwhelming presence of
technology in the world that we livein, and they provide an opportunity to
disconnect, recharge, and prioritize ourwell being and relationships, and ultimately,
(14:28):
at the end of the day,foster a healthier and more intentional relationship with
technology. Do you really need meto give you a culty action on this
this week? Well, here's oneanyway. Plan a digital week long digital
detox and make it happen. Doit. If you like where it's heading,
(14:50):
extend that to a month. Andhere's a few tips to get you
started on this one. Identify thebehavior that you want to change. Two,
set specific goals for reducing or eliminatingthat behavior. Yeah, if you
can't, If you don't think youcan eliminate it altogether, try setting a
goal to reduce it. Reduce yourscreen time from four hours a night to
(15:11):
one hour a night, and seewhat you can do with the other time
you've you've freed up. Number three, Seek support from friends and family to
stay accountable. In my experience,the friends and family will be doing everything
they can't mess you up to stopyou, to get you back onto the
things that you're doing, to watchthe television with them. They'll put things
in your way that you're trying tobreak away from. There's a switch in
(15:35):
our house and I like it.It's great, it's amazing games and stuff.
But what I've been trying to dois focus my time on another screen,
m kindle, It's a slightly differentsort of screen though. I'm trying
to read a book, and Ifind it I'm happier reading the book than
playing playing on the switch. Believeit or not. Anyway, seek supports
from friends or family to stay accountableand make them understand that this is a
serious thing that you're not joking.You may have to remove yourselves from them
(16:00):
a little bit if they're constantly pesteringyou to watch TV or whatever. It
is difficult when you're living with peopleto make some of these things happen,
So try and think of a wayto make that work. And next up,
regularly assess your progress and be awareof replacing one digital habit with another.
YEA, so it happened with me. As I mentioned earlier, I
get rid of the YouTube addiction andI found myself watching shorts on Instagram,
(16:26):
so I just swapped one for theother. You've got to be careful.
Your brain will try and trick youout of this. It'll try and lead
you in directions you don't want togo. Keep heightened awareness of this,
keep on at that high level ofthinking I talk about and finally reflecting the
benefits and barriers you've experienced, andconsider the long term changes based on the
(16:48):
results you've got from this detoxer.Basically, do it for a week,
sus out what's going on, andsee if you can extend it, see
if you can make some changes,and if you can, I would really
go for a one month or atwo month break from social media specifically as
a good thing to aim for.That's worked for me. You might find
it will take you a couple ofweeks to get into the flow of this,
though. I'm suggesting to do aweek as a test. You might
(17:11):
struggle in that week. If youthink though you're getting somewhere, extend it.
Extend it further. If you canget up to a month, if
you can get up to two months, you're really going to realize just how
much time you've lost to these advicesand how much more focused and generally happy
are you're going to get. Anyway, good luck with that one. I
need to move on. The episodeis getting a little bit long. I'm
absolutely not a believer in cancel culture. So even though he was a very
(17:36):
bad boy at the Oscars, I'mgoing to end today with a quite reasonably
relevant quote from mister will Smith whosaid something fairly relevant to all of this.
He said, stop letting people whodo so little for you control so
much of your mind, feelings,and emotions. Let's face it, folks,
he has a point. Stop lettingthese devices, these these creators of
(17:59):
these devices, these owners of thesesocial media companies, stop letting them in.
Stop letting them control your mind,control your attention. Take over,
get back control, and you'll findthat you're set for a happier life,
a more successful life. So that'senough for now. Take control of your
(18:19):
own destiny. Keep on shooting andjoin me next time on film pro Productivity
and Success. And music that youcan hear right now is Adventures by A
Humitsu. I must check the pronunciationof that. After one hundred and forty
six episodes, you think you shouldknow anyway. Yeah. The official websites
(18:44):
film pro productivity dot com. Youcan join me on the official Twitter page
which is at film pro prod Pod, film pro prod Pod, or at
Facebook on film prood productivity. I'mmaking a meal of this one, anyway.
Continue to support to show my friendsby subscribing, spreading the warden.
Please do take a minute out toleave an awesome review on Apple Podcasts.
(19:07):
If you can see you next time,
This episode is sponsored by my goodfriend Petrical. Hello and welcome back to
Film Pro, Productivity and Success,the podcast that helps film pros and all
creative people to live a more focused, effective and happy life. My name
(00:21):
is Carter Ferguson. In today's episodeis one four seven. It's Digital detox.
Things changed when my phone outsmarted me. Once Facebook had a permanent place
in my pocket, it became apermanent portal able to transport me away from
(00:42):
my family, even if we werephysically in the same room, I wasn't
necessarily there with them. Facebook wasno longer simply a naptime vacation, but
an all day form of escapism.When they speak unquote, and that's from
her book or to day Social MediaFast Exchange your online distractions for real life
(01:03):
devotion. It's a book worth lookingat. If you're interested in today's topic,
I kind of show you in thisepisode the stute amongst you. I'd
like to point out we'll already havenoticed. It's very much connected to last
week's show, where I looked intocal Newport's theory of deep work. That's
achieving a state of flow where youget your best work done. In this
(01:23):
week, I'm going to try andconvince you to cut back on social media.
I've tried it before, and I'mgonna try it again. I'm gonna
try and get you to cut backon Facebook and the use of technology so
that you can find again the focusthat you need for success. Digital detoxies
have gained significance in today's fast paced, technology driven world. But what are
(01:44):
they all about? That's the question. I've talked about it here, as
I say often, I've talked aboutmy addiction to YouTube, for example,
and I finally picked out one whereI simply removed the app from my phone.
I also removed Facebook. You see, I'd often feel like before I
even gotten up for the day.I think I've used this analogy before,
it's not really an analogy. Sotruth this is, this is my life
(02:05):
before it even got up for theday, that I'd been on those apps
looking at short videos and stuff.And the end result was it often felt
like I'd already done a shift inwatching video after video for that dopamine kick
before it even got out of mybed. But here's the thing, though,
my devious mind, even when Iget rid of YouTube and all these
other distractions, my devious minds soondiscovered that Instagram has the same video option,
(02:30):
and I continue to waste my timethere, even though I'd killed a
few other distractions. So you reallyhave to be careful that you aren't deluding
yourself as to what's going on.I did eventually also remove Instagram as well,
but I'm back on it all now, unfortunately, because I'm promoting this
show. Although absolutely as soon asI've got this season recorded, and as
(02:52):
soon as I've got a few buffersdone, which are like social media automated
message send outs, I will becoming back off social media again. Anyway,
I'm going off on one the quotethat I used a few weeks ago
comes to mind. We all this, and it's whatever you are not changing,
you are choosing. Whatever you arenot changing, you are choosing.
I don't choose to waste as muchof my life on social media as I
(03:15):
have been doing. It bothers me, it annoys me, it depresses me.
And one study discovered that Americans spendingaverage of four hours watching TV and
about seven and a half hours ondigital devices each day, and unsurprisingly,
so much screen time is stressing manyof us out. And I'm really sorry.
(03:35):
Instantly I always seem to be usingAmericans studies in America for examples of
what's going on. It's just thatthere's an awful lot of studies getting done
in the States, and that's wherea lot of information that my research is
taking me. So it's not thatI've got a thing. I'm not particularly
picking on you if you're from theStates. This just happens to be where
a lot of studies have happened.If using electronic media causes you to have
(03:59):
any of the following experiences, it'sa clear sign that you may have to
disconnect. And it would be adepressed mood. It would be increased irritability,
frustration, and anger. It woulddefinitely be feeling insecure. It would
possibly be leading to loss of sleepor certainly interrupted sleep, and feeling obligated
to consume, respond, react,or check in with others. And if
(04:23):
that sounds like you, then keepon listening. Please keep on listening.
A red flag is if you're losinginterest in being social in person because you'd
rather just connect with people online.Kai right put unquote, I'm so sorry
if I've got that pronunciational. It'sso hard to stay on top of pronunciations
but yeah, I'll just say itagain. A red flag is if you're
(04:45):
losing interest in being social in personbecause you'd rather be connecting with people on
line. So let's quickly talk aboutdopamine. What the heck is all that
about? Well, In short,dopamine is a chemical. In short,
quite long after research with the stuff, dopamine is a chemical neurotransmitter released in
(05:05):
the brain that makes you feel good. That's what dopamine is, and dopamine
plays a role in how we feelpleasure. It's a big part of our
unique human ability to think and plan. It helps us to strive to focus
and find things interesting, and yourbody spreads it along four major pathways in
(05:25):
the brain like most other systems inthe body, though you don't notice it
or maybe even know about it untilthere's a problem. Too much or too
little of it can lead to avast range of health issues. Some are
serious, like Parkinson's disease, andothers are much less dire. The connection
between dopamine and digital devices and socialmedia lies in the way these platforms trigger
(05:49):
the release of dopamine, and itworks like this. The use of digital
devices and social media triggers anticipation andreward. We anticipate notifications, likes,
comments, and new content, andthe reward comes in the form of a
dopamine release when we receive them.When you receive a notification that are a
(06:13):
positive interaction on social media, dopamineis released into your brain. This release
of dopamine creates a pleasant, pleasant, and pleasurable sensation in there, and
it reinforces the behavior and motivates youto seek it again. There's a feedback
loop there that encourages and increases addictivebehavior. The anticipation in reward cycle it's
(06:35):
called fueled by dopamine, can createa feedback loop that leads to addictive behaviors.
We become conditioned to seek out andengage with digital devices or social media
platforms in the pursuit of that pleasurabledopamine release, and this can result in
excessive use, compulsive checking, anddifficulty disengaging from these digital expencies. That's
(07:00):
the habit we pick up all tooquickly, like a drug addiction to dopamine.
Are you getting all this, folks? Are you understanding why I'm going
on yet again about this sort ofstuff. All of this is a distraction.
All of this stops you focusing onthe stuff that matters. I'm old
enough to remember a time before allof it. I remember going to the
(07:21):
bank when I was young and startinga bank account, and I distinctly remember
waiting in line and not taking outa phone to kill any time. I
just sat there and waited to getto the front of the queue. I
looked around, I thought about things. That's how it worked. That's all
I did. And do you rememberthat time? The time, I mean,
(07:42):
some of you will be that young. You probably have lived with this
your whole life, and you'll haveto find new ways to deal with it.
But there was a time for thoseof us are a little bit older
where we didn't have to worry aboutthis. Unfortunately, in today's world,
we're all caught up in it,and it is an issue. As I
say, understand the connection between dopamineand digital devices and social media, however,
(08:03):
can help us to be more awareof our behaviors and in turn,
we can make conscious decisions about theirusage, ensuring that we have a healthier
relationship with the sorts of technology thatwe use. And that brings me back
to the topic of today's show.A digital detox is an escape from all
(08:24):
of this an opportunity to reclaim asense of balance, reduce stress, and
think about your mental well being.It involves disconnecting from the screens that you've
got from social media and digital communicationfor a set period of time, because
by taking a break from our devices, we can invest more time and attention
in building meaningful relationships with friends,with family, and the world round about
(08:48):
us. And the reason that I'mbringing all this up, of course,
is that, above all else andtime management terms, continuous engagement with digital
technology can be a sure fire,dead set killer of productivity. If you
don't recognize that, I'm very pleasedfor you, as it's one of the
greatest problems we face in the modernworld. If you don't have that problem,
(09:11):
fantastic, don't allow yourself to getdrawn into it. And the things
that people avoid doing during a digitaldetox would include things like checking email,
playing video games, scrolling through socialmedia, text messaging, using smartphones or
tablets in any way, shape orform, or watching the news or other
(09:33):
TV programs. Taking a break fromviewing or engaging in social media is the
most popular form of digital detox.Negative social media experiences can trigger anxiety and
depression. And affect your self esteem. I've already done a show on this
topic is called Less Scrolling, MoreLiving. But here are five clear benefits
for your right here and now thatI've found from regular social media detoxes that
(09:58):
I have taken. I think Iwas online for seven months of last year,
but the other five months I wasin a digital detox. It's not
that I wasn't using email, etc. It's just that I greatly reduced the
usage of specifically social media. Sohere's some benefits. Number one, increased
focus and productivity. Digital distractions suchas notifications, emails, social media can
(10:20):
fragment your attention and hinder your abilityto focus deeply on important tasks. That's
the whole thing that I was goingon about last week in deep work.
But by disconnecting from digital devices,we can cultivate better concentration, we can
enhance our productivity, productivity, andwe can accomplish basically more meaningful work.
Do better work, do work thatmatters. Number two, improved mental and
(10:46):
emotional well being. Continuous exposure tothe digital devices, to social media,
and constant connectivity to other things canlead to information overload. I've got a
real issue with it. In today'sworld. I'm so aware of it.
It leads to increased stress levels anddecreased mental well being. So taking a
break from technology allows you to recharge, to reduce anxiety and to regain a
(11:11):
sense of calm. Number three,I have enhanced real life connections and relationships,
So excessive screen time on digital devicescan lead to a decline in real
life interactions and connections with humans.Other humans remember them, They're out there
somewhere. A digital detox will encourageyou to engage in face to face conversations,
(11:33):
spend quality time with loved ones,and participate in activities that foster genuine
human connections. I'm aware of this. At the moment, I've been doing
an awful lot of screen time prepadmin work to do with the film,
to do with my other business,things to do with doing this episode.
And tomorrow I'm going to make timeafter I've been to the German for a
(11:54):
swim to see my friend Ross Gary, mydope from faster Manson. We're going
to have a coffee tomorrow more.Although I'm not on the coffee, it
will be a fruit tea for me. But I do try and fit these
things in. I've got a veryvery tight schedule, but I really do
try and put time into meeting peopleface to face is a big, big
help for the old mental health,et cetera, and number four in my
(12:16):
list of clear benefits without getting distracted. That's what I'm talking about here,
is that reduced anxiety and stress levels. By taking a break, we have
got an opportunity to disconnect from thevirtual world and focus on our own thoughts,
engaging mindful activities, and gain clarityabout our values and our priorities.
(12:37):
All of this really has a positiveimpact on our anxiety and on our stress
and finally reclaiming valuable time for otheractivities and self care. Constant digital involvement
engagement, if you want to callit, that leaves little room for self
reflection and introspection. So cutting offthese of itties opens up the opportunity for
(13:01):
you to rediscover old hobbies and otherfun stuff. Old hobbies. What did
you used to do that you're nolonger doing? Why do you no longer
do it? Is it because youspend seven and a half hours day looking
at your phone or your iPad oryour switch or whatever. Is it because
you're sitting watching the box on theon the wall, or sitting in the
(13:22):
living room for four or five sixhours a day. Could you stop doing
that? Go for a walk?Could you stop doing that? Go And
I don't know, I used tobuild model airplanes. I could build a
model airplane. I could do that. That's not top of my list of
priorities to do, but you knowthere are things I used to do that
would quite like to try doing again. So think about what you used to
(13:43):
do and go and do it.Make some time for it. But you
can really only do that if youstart cutting back in the amount of time
you're putting into staying at screens.So to sum up, digital detoxes help
us reassess or dependence on technology andset healthier boundaries. They allow us to
be become more mindful of our digitalhabits as well, set limitations on our
(14:03):
screen time, and develop a morebalanced approach to using technology. They serve
as a means of balance, kindof counter balance to the overwhelming presence of
technology in the world that we livein, and they provide an opportunity to
disconnect, recharge, and prioritize ourwell being and relationships, and ultimately,
(14:28):
at the end of the day,foster a healthier and more intentional relationship with
technology. Do you really need meto give you a culty action on this
this week? Well, here's oneanyway. Plan a digital week long digital
detox and make it happen. Doit. If you like where it's heading,
(14:50):
extend that to a month. Andhere's a few tips to get you
started on this one. Identify thebehavior that you want to change. Two,
set specific goals for reducing or eliminatingthat behavior. Yeah, if you
can't, If you don't think youcan eliminate it altogether, try setting a
goal to reduce it. Reduce yourscreen time from four hours a night to
(15:11):
one hour a night, and seewhat you can do with the other time
you've you've freed up. Number three, Seek support from friends and family to
stay accountable. In my experience,the friends and family will be doing everything
they can't mess you up to stopyou, to get you back onto the
things that you're doing, to watchthe television with them. They'll put things
in your way that you're trying tobreak away from. There's a switch in
(15:35):
our house and I like it.It's great, it's amazing games and stuff.
But what I've been trying to dois focus my time on another screen,
m kindle, It's a slightly differentsort of screen though. I'm trying
to read a book, and Ifind it I'm happier reading the book than
playing playing on the switch. Believeit or not. Anyway, seek supports
from friends or family to stay accountableand make them understand that this is a
serious thing that you're not joking.You may have to remove yourselves from them
(16:00):
a little bit if they're constantly pesteringyou to watch TV or whatever. It
is difficult when you're living with peopleto make some of these things happen,
So try and think of a wayto make that work. And next up,
regularly assess your progress and be awareof replacing one digital habit with another.
YEA, so it happened with me. As I mentioned earlier, I
get rid of the YouTube addiction andI found myself watching shorts on Instagram,
(16:26):
so I just swapped one for theother. You've got to be careful.
Your brain will try and trick youout of this. It'll try and lead
you in directions you don't want togo. Keep heightened awareness of this,
keep on at that high level ofthinking I talk about and finally reflecting the
benefits and barriers you've experienced, andconsider the long term changes based on the
(16:48):
results you've got from this detoxer.Basically, do it for a week,
sus out what's going on, andsee if you can extend it, see
if you can make some changes,and if you can, I would really
go for a one month or atwo month break from social media specifically as
a good thing to aim for.That's worked for me. You might find
it will take you a couple ofweeks to get into the flow of this,
though. I'm suggesting to do aweek as a test. You might
(17:11):
struggle in that week. If youthink though you're getting somewhere, extend it.
Extend it further. If you canget up to a month, if
you can get up to two months, you're really going to realize just how
much time you've lost to these advicesand how much more focused and generally happy
are you're going to get. Anyway, good luck with that one. I
need to move on. The episodeis getting a little bit long. I'm
absolutely not a believer in cancel culture. So even though he was a very
(17:36):
bad boy at the Oscars, I'mgoing to end today with a quite reasonably
relevant quote from mister will Smith whosaid something fairly relevant to all of this.
He said, stop letting people whodo so little for you control so
much of your mind, feelings,and emotions. Let's face it, folks,
he has a point. Stop lettingthese devices, these these creators of
(17:59):
these devices, these owners of thesesocial media companies, stop letting them in.
Stop letting them control your mind,control your attention. Take over,
get back control, and you'll findthat you're set for a happier life,
a more successful life. So that'senough for now. Take control of your
(18:19):
own destiny. Keep on shooting andjoin me next time on film pro Productivity
and Success. And music that youcan hear right now is Adventures by A
Humitsu. I must check the pronunciationof that. After one hundred and forty
six episodes, you think you shouldknow anyway. Yeah. The official websites
(18:44):
film pro productivity dot com. Youcan join me on the official Twitter page
which is at film pro prod Pod, film pro prod Pod, or at
Facebook on film prood productivity. I'mmaking a meal of this one, anyway.
Continue to support to show my friendsby subscribing, spreading the warden.
Please do take a minute out toleave an awesome review on Apple Podcasts.
(19:07):
If you can see you next time,
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